Tank type vacuum cleaner with superimposed attachment carrying receptacle



Dec. 12, 1950 E E. A. HAMALA 2,534,122

TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER WITH SUPERIMPOSED ATTACHMENT CARRYING RECEPTACLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1947 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIII Invbr: EdWmAHamaIa1, W WM His Attorney.

Dec. 12, 1950 E. A. HAMALA TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER WITH SUPERIMPOSED ATTACHMENT CARRYING RECEPTACLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1947 Fig.5.

IIIIllllllllllllililllllllllllllllll Inventor. EdwinA.Hamaia,

His Attorney.

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 TANK TYPE VACUUM CLEANER WITH SU- PERIMPOSED ATTACHMENT RECEPTACLE CARRYING Edwin A. Hamala, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 27, 1947, Serial No. 750,821

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to tank type vacuum cleaners and especially to what are termed usually hand cleaners, i. e., relatively small light weight cleaners adapted to be carried about by the user by means of a handle or shoulder strap, although the invcntion is not limited thereto necessarily.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in a cleaner of this type wherein as a part of the cleaner structure there is provided a removable cover or receptacle which provides a storage space for the suction hose, the suction tubes and the tools such as the suction nozzles which form a part of such cleaners.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and to the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing Fig. l is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner embodying my invention, the removable cover or receptacle being shown separated from the cleaner proper, Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of a vacuum cleaner structure embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of one side of a mounting plate. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification, and Fig. 6 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing l indicates a tank type vacuum cleaner which may be of any known or suitable construction in so far as its enclosed mechanism is concerned. Such cleaners comprise an electric motor which operates a suction fan and a bag which forms a filter for catching and retaining the dirt. At one end of the casing of the vacuum cleaner is a suction inlet opening 2 with which a hose 3 may be connected and at the other end a discharge opening 4 for the discharge of air after it passes through the filter. The hose may be connected with opening 4 when the cleaner is to be used as a blower. The hose is shown in the present invention as having a. swivcled threaded end for screwing into the end caps of the cleaner for connecting the hose to the cleaner. However, this is only by way of example to illustrate one arrangement which may be used. Any other means may be used for connecting the hose to the end caps. The specific construction forms no part of the present invention.

In the present invention there is shown as equipment for the cleaner two tube sections 5 and 8, an elongated suction nozzle 1, a round brush suction tool 8 and an elongated suction tool 9.

receptacle and cleaner.

These are known types of attachments or tools used with tank type vacuum cleaners. They are shown by way of example. Additional or other tools may be provided if desired. By the term attachment as used herein, I mean the hose, the tubes, and the various tools which may be provided for connection therewith. The cord of the vacuum cleaner motor is indicated at Ill. At the inlet end of the cleaner is a hinged end cap ll fastened closed by a suitable latch l2. End cap I I may be opened to give access to the interior of the cleaner for the removal and cleaning of the bag.

My invention has to do particularly with the storage of the attachments and the cord when the cleaner is not in use.

According to my invention, I provide a cover which is in the form of a receptacle in which the attachments are stored and which is arranged to be detachably connected to the top of the vacuum cleaner. It covers the top of the vacuum cleaner and has a handle which may be used in lifting the The cover or receptacle comprises a top wall [3, side walls I4 and end wals 15. It is open at its lower end and such end is shaped to conform to the contour of the vacuum cleaner casing and to fit down over its upper portion, the cleaner casing being provided with a ledge 16 against which the edge of the cover or receptacle fits. The cover may be fastened to the cleaner with its edge in firm engagement with ledge l6 by suitable clamps, two such clamps of known type being indicated at H. Any suitable number and arrangement of clamps may be used.

The attachments are mounted on a plate l8 having a handle l9 at one edge. It is of a size to fit in the cover or casing as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 and may be held therein by spring fingers 20 formed on the ends of metal straps 2i attached to the end wall 15, the fingers fitted over shoulders 22 on the plate. Suitable fastening means are attached to plate [8 for holding the attachments. The hose tube may be detachably mounted on one side of the plate by a spring clamp 23 as shown in Fig. 4 and the other attachments may be detachably mounted on the other side of the plate by U-shaped spring clamps 24 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the top of the cleaner casing is a pair of hooks 25 around which cord It may be wrapped as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Also attached to the top of the cleaner casing is a shoulder strap 26 and hand strap 21. The top wall I3 of the receptacle is shown as being r inamiss forced by a strip 20 and it is provided with hand strap 30.

, when the cleaner is not in use the plate It with the attachments mounted on its opposite sidesis positioned in the cover or receptacle and the cover or receptacle is attached to the cleaner proper as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The cord i is wrapped around the cord hooks 26. This forms a compact unit which is easily carried about by the handle 29 and which can be stored readily. when the cleaner is to be used, the latches H are released and the cover or receptacle lifted from the cleaner proper. It may be turned upside down and by means of the handle IS, the plate l8 may be removed and supported against a wall or other suitable abutment. The hose is then removed from plate II and attached to the cleaner after which the tools it is desired to use are attached to the hose. The cleaner may be then used in the ordinary way, either resting on a floor or other surface or being carried about by the shoulder strap and handle thereon. After the use of the cleaner is completed, the attachments may be re-assembled on plate It, the plate replaced in the cover or receptacle and the cover or receptacle then attached to the cleaner proper by the clamps H.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown another form of my invention wherein the tank type vacuum cleaner proper is mounted in an outer or auxiliary easing 2 I, the upper end of which is provided with an inturned edge to provide a ledge or shoulder 32 against which the lower edge of the open end of the attachment holding receptacle 33 fits and against which it is fastened by suitable clamps 34. Also in this modification the spring fingers 35 which hold in place the attachment carrying plate are formed differently than those shown in Figs. 1 to 4. although they function in a similar manner, their arrangement is clear from the drawing. Otherwise the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is generally the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

By my invention I provide a vacuum cleaner construction which is compact and one wherein the attachments are carried by means which in substance forms a unitary part of the vacuum cleaner structure. By this means they are stored along with the cleaner proper and are always conveniently accessible for use. At the same time the attachments are compactly assembled so as occupy a minimum amount of space.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. For use with a tank type vacuum cleaner having a body. and attachments in the nature of tools to be connected to the body, that improvement comprising a receptacle having a closed top end and an open bottom end of a contour conforming to that of the cleaner body and adapted removably to seat around the cleaner body, a handle on the closed top end, a' removable plate member adapted to slide. into position edgewise into the open end of the receptacle and to nt above the cleaner body, a handle on said plate for sliding it into and out of the receptacle, clamps for holding the attachments on opposite sides of the plate within the receptacle and means detachably connecting the receptacle directly to the cleaner body, whereby said plate is held within said receptacle 2. For use with a tank type vacuum cleaner having an outer casing with a surrounding ledge, and attachments in the nature of tools to be connected to the cleaner casing, that improvement comprising a receptacle having a closed top and an open end with an edge adapted to fit over the cleaner casing with the edge in engagement with the ledge, clamps on the cleaner casing for removably attaching the receptacle to the cleaner, a handle on the closed top, a plate adapted to slide into position edgewise into the receptacle, a handle on the edge of the plate nearest the open end for manipulating the plate, spring clamps in the receptacle frictionalh' holding the plate removably within said receptacle, and means detachably mounting the attachments on said plate.

EDWIN A. HAMALA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent- UN I'I'ED STATES PA'IENTB Number Name Date 2,314,177 Tamarin Mar. 16, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,068 Great Britain 1910 621,813 France Feb. 14, 1927 637,490 France Jan. 30, 1928 337,338 Great Britain Oct. 30, 1930 704,192 France Feb. 17, 1931 61,996 Denmark Mar. 6, 1944 63,065 Denmark Jan. 2, 1945 

